I typically try to put a positive spin on living and eating out with celiac disease. But there’s nothing that gets my blood boiling more than a restaurant trying to take advantage of the gluten free trend by offering a gluten free menu without putting in place the proper measures needed to make the meal actually gluten free.

These restaurants have all either gotten me sick, have told me about practices I believe are dangerous, or have been negatively reviewed multiple times for their mistakes or bad service. While they may be okay for those trying out the gluten free “trend,” I wouldn’t recommend them for anyone with celiac disease or a serious need to avoid gluten.

Pizzeria Paradiso – While Pizzeria Paradiso offers gluten free pizza, they have told me that none of their ingredients or preparation is separate from the regular pizzas. That means shared utensils and surfaces. I’ve voiced my concerns to their manager and walked out of their restaurant.

Jackson’s 20 – It saddens me to add this place to the list, but they were misinformed and rude when I asked for a simple brunch meal of scrambled eggs and grits. They claimed that flour in the air would get me sick just sitting in the restaurant (?), and that real celiacs just shouldn’t eat out. A comment on Facebook confirmed this attitude for me.

Masa 14 – A lot of people pat Masa 14 on the back for their gluten free menu, so this might just be my experience. Not only did I feel like a burden to my server, but they brought out a sauce containing gluten on my plate. I ate the sauce before the server came over to inform me that it had gluten, and that was the reason they had put it on the side. I got sick and won’t eat there again.

Ping Pong Dim Sum – This place is widely known for being on DC’s most wanted list for bad gluten free menus. Actually, their menu isn’t gluten free, it’s “gluten friendly,” meaning that it’s only about 75% gluten free, and you have to grill the server for what is actually in everything. I wound up ordering the most plain things I could in an effort to not get glutened. See reviews on Yelp confirming.

Domino’s – Another confirmed no-no for celiacs. Because they use the same ingredients, pans, and utensils as the regular pizzas you can bet there will be gluten all up in your pizza. Check out the FAQs from the NFCA for more information.

While Yelp and other online reviews aren’t always to be trusted, here are a few that I have put on my radar.

Nature’s Table – “I explained to her that I asked for it as a bowl as I have a gluten intolerance. So what does she do? She tries to pour the contents of the burrito into a container rather than making it again!”

Silver Diner– “Be very careful with their GF breakfast options. No separate griddle.” “Staff didn’t get the cross-contamination piece of things. Brought me my GF meal with a biscuit on the plate.”

Do you have any restaurants on your “never again” list? Tell me about them!

I spent two glorious hours reading in an oversized leather chair at Killer E.S.P yesterday. With an Americano made from Stumptown Coffee, and a chewy and buttery chocolate chip cookie from Happy Tart Bakery, I couldn’t have been happier! They carry tarts, cookies, and Nutella pastries (pictured above), all gluten free and wonderful indulgences. As long as they keep the sugary treats coming, this will be my favorite coffee shop.

I picked up a box of the Chocolate Peanut Butter and Sea Salt bars at Target, and was surprised at how tasty they were! Usually I brace for the worst when trying a protein bar, but these are chewy, sweet, and a great on-the-go breakfast option.

Dosas are a great healthy and gluten free alternative to a burrito or wrap sandwich. Made out of lentil puree, you can get it filled with everything from potatoes to spiced vegetables. Now you can find a DC Dosa stand in the prepared foods section in the Foggy Bottom Whole Foods.

I’ve had this topic on my list of things to write about, but I just can’t take it any more. As a community, us celiacs need to stop saying the phrase “cross-contamination“ when we’re referring to a gluten free food coming into contact with gluten, thereby rendering it unsafe to eat.

It’s not just semantics, it’s a matter of communicating in an accurate way what we’re trying to prevent. Using the wrong word can confuse kitchen staff, waiters, and anyone else cooking for you.

Any trained cook or chef is taught that cross-contamination refers to food borne bacteria and diseases. They are taught to properly handle foods like raw meats by storing them correctly and heating them to a high temperature to prevent food-borne illness.

So if you ask a cook, “You know how to prevent cross-contamination, right?” They might think that as long as they wash their hands and cook your food enough, they’re all set. If they use the same tongs/utensils, they might think it won’t matter if they used it for something with gluten in it as long as they cook it enough then the gluten will “burn off” or something.

Cross-contact occurs when a residue or trace amount of an allergenic or gluten-containing becomes incorporated into another food not intended to contain it, according to the FDA.

You’re probably thinking, “Fine, that’s the correct definition, but everyone says cross-contamination!” I thought that myself at one point as well.

I’d venture a guess that we are getting glutened more for that very reason. You have to talk the talk to be taken seriously. Being able to explain the difference between cross-contamination and cross-contact can help clear up people’s questions about how to safely prepare meals, and can help keep you from getting sick.

So, get with the program – start saying cross-contact. Even if it’s just to make me happy.

Last week I attended The Hour happy hour event for the second time and met a few new gluten free bloggers based in DC – so I thought it would be a good time to put together a listing!

City Life Eats (Valerie)– “I am passionate about thriving in all aspects of life – professional and personal. For me that means working long hours as an attorney and strategizing to balance the demands of job with my interests in food, healthy and mindful living.”

Glutie Foodie (Shira Kraft) -“This blog is a place to critique my dining out experiences in Washington DC and beyond and to provide a platform for conversation. Knowledge, experience, and outreach are the best defenses for us gluten-challenged. With your help, my mission is to reclaim fellow gluties’ culinary freedom, one reservation at a time.”

Jules Gluten Free (Jules Shepard)– “Jules is one of the top experts on gluten-free living in the Washington area; Time magazine, ABC, and other major media outlets line up for her advice. The Celiac patient got her start five years ago by sending out a newsletter that featured new gluten-free recipes and products; now she has her own blog, website, and line of gluten-free flour, and has penned three books.”

Tayler Made (Tayler Lofquist)– “I started Tayler Made in 2011 to share my experiences in living with food allergies. Since then, I have been fortunate to reintroduce some of those once-forbidden foods back into my diet, but I will always have a passion for good, allergen-friendly cooking.”

It’s crazy how many blogs have come and gone in the last few years. All of these blogs have been updated recently so you should be able to count on them for updates! Let me know if I missed anyone!

A long, long time ago, I met up with a fellow DC blogger, Katelyn Sornik for lunch at Cafe Green. She gave me a couple of bags of vegan granola bars that she had been experimenting with as a side project.

Fast forward two years and Cafe Green has closed down, but Kate and her bars are doing anything but. Her “Kate Bakes” bars are getting rave reviews on blogs, showing up on shelves in markets around DC like Society Fair and MENU, and having her on a plan to rapid expansion/world domination in the near future.

As fate would have it, Kate has teamed up with another of DC’s great gluten free bakers! She and Emily Robins of Goldilocks Goodies (and LivingSocial baking class/farmer’s market fame) hosted their first happy hour in their The HOUR* gluten free happy hour series in February. This monthly event combines fashion, art, music, food and drink in a whiz-bang combination of fun-inducing genius.

Last month the event was at Meeps in Adam’s Morgan, where I stuffed my face with goat cheese-stuffed dates, drank Omission Beer, and bought a fantastically tacky Hawaiian print jumper.

This month the event will be on March 26 at Hemphill Fine Arts on 14th Street. Get your ticket here! I plan on being a regular at these events, and I hope you’ll join me!

This summer I began contributing to the blog “The DC Ladies,” which is a compilation of great articles by women in the Capital Area. I contribute one article a month on a gluten-free topic I think would be of interest to all the ladies of DC. Whether that’s a recipe, restaurant review, or tips for eating healthy, I’m so excited to be a part of such an inspiring group of women.